Life-threatening bowel ischemia can often be treated by balloon angioplasty
Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) can be successfully treated with endovascular therapy such as balloon angioplasty, according to research from the University of Eastern Finland. The study also found that AMI is a more common cause of abdominal pain among the elderly than generally thought; however, it is difficult to diagnose before bowel damage develops. If left untreated, acute mesenteric ischemia usually leads to gangrenous bowel, which is a life-threatening condition. AMI usually results from an occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery, typically caused by arteriosclerosis or